Shutter dissolve mechanism



1937- G. A. MITCHELL 2,088,715

SHUTTER DI SSOLVE MECHANI SM Original Filed May 7, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l Hung/0r 660/96. A. M7/"C/76ZZ WWW Aug. 3, 1937. e. A. MITCHELL 8,7

SHUTTER DISSOLVE MECHANISM olfiginal Filed May 7, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2' t Aug. 3, 1937. i G. A. MITCHELL 2,033,715

SHUTTER DISSOLVE MECHANISM Original Filed May '7, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. A. MITCH ELL SHUTTER DISSOLVE MECHANISM Original Filed May 7, 1954 Aug. 3, 1937. 2,088,715

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Patented Aug. 3, 1937 SHUTTER DISSOLVE MECHANISM George A. Mitchell, 'Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Mitchell Camera Corporation, West Hollywood, CaliL, a corporation of Delaware Original application M ay '7, 1934, Serial No,

724,351. Divided and this application December I, 1935, Serial No. 53,380

13 Claims.

This invention relates generally to motion picture cameras, and more particularly to shutter dissolve mechanisms for motion picture cameras.

The present invention is concerned with the provision of. dissolve mechanism control devices in such a camera as is described in my copending application entitled Sound insulated motion picture camera, filed May 7, 1934, Ser. No. 724,351, in which the invention claimed in the present application is also disclosed, and in which are found claims covering certain aspects of the subject matter shown in the present case. The present application is a division of said application Ser.

No. 724,351. It is a characteristic of this type of camera that its film mechanism, including drive motor, dissolve mechanism, film magazine and a focusing instrument, shifts laterally behind the photographic lens between a position for focusing and a position for photographing the scene. This shiftable mechanism is completely enclosed by a sound insulated exterior case.

It is an object of the present invention to provide control devices for the shifting shutter dissolve mechanism operable from the exterior of thesound insulated case.

In accordance with the present invention, the. various operating devices for the dissolve mechanism are mounted in an exterior wall of the sound insulatedcase, and are cooperable with the dissblve mechanism when the interior film mechanism is shifted to ,taking position. These operating devices are automatically retracted when the dissolve mechanism is not inu'se, clearing the film mechanism and permitting it to be shifted to focusing positions without interference by said devices.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a present pref-erred embodiment thereof, reference for this purpose being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motion picture camera equipped with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig Fig. 2 is a rear view of the camera shown in' Fig. 10 is a section taken on line l0-'l0 of Fig.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line ll-ll of Fig. 7;

limited to the particular illustrative forms of the invention here detailed.

In the drawings, numeral l0 designates generally the exterior case of the camera, this case comprising a box-like casting ll including front and rear walls l2 and I3, respectively, side wall l4 having downwardly swinging door l5, side wallv l6, top I! and bottom or bed plate l8. This bed plate is adapted to be secured down to the head plate 20 of the tripod.

The top wall I! of case'll has a rectangular opening 2| through which extends the lower portion or throat of the usual camera magazine. 22.

A magazine compartment 23 is removably mounted on the top of case H around opening 2|, and isof a size and shape to accommodate the camera magazine in the two different positions of the laterally shiftable camera box 32 that carries it.

The entire case and magazine compartment is shown to be lined with a layer 26 ofsuitable sound insulation material.

The operative motion picturecamera mechanism, or camera proper, is mounted within this sound insulated case. This interior mechanism will be seen to embody a horizontal base or bed plate 30, .having rising from its forward end a vertical, hollow head portion 3|, and a camera box or mechanism carrier 32 located to the rear of head 3| and arranged to slide transversely across bed in ways 33.

Camera base 30 is supported on-an insulation pad 35, which rests on exterior housing bed plate 18, and is secured in place within the exterior housing in any suitable manner; for instance, in

The camera box 32' carries on its top the usual film magazine 22, as previously mentioned, and box 32 carries the usual film guide rollers, sprockets. and intermittent film movement mechanism, for intermittently moving the film downwardly within box 32 past aperture 41, in the focal plane of the photographic lens, these parts all being 7 tube 52.

' comes closely adjacent the rear surface of camera tube well known and requiring no present illustration. Mounted on the side of camera box 32 at the level of photographic aperture 41 is a focusing The forward end of this focusing tube head 3i when camera box 32 is moved to the right on bed 30 (viewing the camera from the rear), and by such movement the forward end of the focusing tube is brought into register with the photographic aperture 41 in head 3i and thus into alinement with the photographic .lens. In this position the focusing tube alines with an eye piece 54 which is .permanently mounted in the rear wall I3 of the exterior camera case, this eye piece being'mounted in permanent optical alinement with aperture 41 and the photographic lens. The other camera box position, indicated in Figs. 4 and 12, is the ftake" position, with the film within the camera box alined with aperture 41 and the photographic lens, and the focusing 52 moved out of alinement therewith. When the camera box is moved from the illustrated "take" position to a position with the focusing .tube alined with aperture 41 and with its eye-piece 34, then the image normally formed on the film may be viewed through eye piece 54 and the focusing tube, and at this time the photographic lens may be. accurately focused. The camera box is then shifted back to the position of Figs. 4 and 12 for taking, and the image is sharp on the film.

For the purpose ofso shifting the-camera box between the taking and focusing positions described, the undersideof said box is provided with a pair of racks 31 (Figs. 3-and 4), with which mesh spur gear 30 on a shaft 00 that extends outwardly through the rear wall I3 of the exterior housing, and has on itsouter end an operating handle 00. Rotation of this handle 60 causes gears 00 to actjthrough racks 31 to shift the camera box from one position to the other.

The camera motor is designated at ",its housin; being afiixed to the side of camera box 32 (Figs. 4 and 12) so that the camera motor shifts with the transverse movement of the camera box.

The motor shaft 33 has on its forward end a spiral gear 31 (Fig. 1) meshing with a spiral gear 00 on a transverse shaft 03 that drives the usual intermittent film mechanism (not shown). Shaft 30 also drives the shutter mechanism and has for this purpose a spiral gear 10 (Pig- 5) meshing with a spiral gear H which is mounted fast on the forward end of hollow shutter shaft 12. Shaft 12 is shown in lflg. 5 to be iournaled in suitable bearings 13, 14, supported by camera box 32. On the extreme forward end of hollow shaft 12 is the usual shutter 30. Mounted to rotate within hollow shaft 12 is an-inner shaft 5 II, and mounted on the forward end thereof is a (Figs. 7, 8, 10, and 11).

g and 13).

shutter leaf 02; These shutter members and 82 rotate within an annular recess 84 sunk in the front face of camera box forward wall 3217, this recess being enclosed by a cover plate which has an aperture 86 registering with photographic apertures 41 of camera head 3|.

Shutter members 80 and 82, which areof conventional form, will be'understood to be mounted I to rotatebetween the photographic aperture and the film within camera box32. These shutter members are adapted to take such a. relative position as to provide substantially a 170 angular opening 'therebetween, so as to uncover the film for substantially 170 of rotation when shutter shafts 12 and 8| are rotated as one; or, byv relative ,adjustive rotation of said shafts, to

reduce the angular opening between the shutter members down to zero, or in other words to effect what is known as a dissolve. ter members are shown during the course of such a-dissolve, the shutter opening 0 being reduced to approximately 90.

.Fastened on hollow shutter shaft ,12, immediately to the rear of camera box rearward wall 32a, is a gear sleeve 90 (Figs. 5 and '1), the forward end of which is formed as a worm 9|, and the rearward end of which is journaled in a bearing 92 carried by mounting casting 93 secured to camera box 32. The rearward end of inner shutter shaft II has a screw section 94, and mounted to work thereon is a nut member 95. This nut member 95 is fast 'within-a sleeve 98 which slidabiy fits the bore of gear sleeve 90, and carries studs 01 which project outwardly through longitudinal slots 30 in sleeve 90. The outer ends segment I00. Fast with this gear segment is a In Fig. 6 the shut-.

depending arm I01, to the lower end of which is pivoted one end of a link I00, the other end of which is pivoted to a vertically movable rack] I10 (Figs. 1, 8, 10, i1, 12 and 13).

This rack IIO moves vertically in a vertical guide groove or way II I formed in the outer surface of a vertical supporting member II2 which I is mounted on camera wall32a. the rack being confined in said way by means of a plate II4 mounted on the outer surface of member H2 The lower portion of cover plate H4 is formed with a longitudinal slot III which receives the pivot connection between link I03 and rack H0.

This rack IIO has on one edge rack teeth I20 which are constantly in mesh with a spur gear I2I, which gear is fast on a rearwardly extending hollow shaft I22 Journaled in said mounting casting 33. The rearward end of shaft I22 has an integrally formed head I23, having in its rearwardsurfaoe an off center aperture I24 (Figs. 12

is adapted to move through substantially of are over a calibrated shutter-opening scale I20 inscribed on a plate I21 carried by mounting member 93. Journaled in and longitudinally slidable through a bore I30 in rear housing wall I3 is'a' shaft I3I, the inner end of which carries a crank. disk I32 having a crank pin I33, said Head I23 carries a pointer I23 which surface of wall I3 (Fig. 12). Shaft I3I normally carries crank disk I32 and pin I33 in the latterposition by reason of a coil spring I36 placed around said shaft in a ccunterbore I31, whichagainst the force of spring I36 and turning the crank until the pins find the aperture. This engagemenbhaving been made, turning of crank I causes rotation -of shaft I22 and gear I2I, thereby moving rack IIO up or down, depending upon the direction in which the crank is turned. Such movement of rack I I0 acts through link I08 and arm I01 to rotate spiral gear segment I06, which in turn acts on spiral gear element I02 to cause longitudinal translation of carrier member IOI. The rotating sleeve I00 embraced and carried by member IN is thus caused to move longitudinally on gear sleeve .90, and in so doing acts through stud 91 to move nut member 95 forwardly or rearwardly within the bore of the gear sleeve. Since the nut member is constrained against relative rotation within the gear sleeve, this longitudinal movement of the nut member causes rotation of the screw element 94 relative to gear sleeve 90, and consequently relative rotation of shaft 9| within hollow shaft 12. Thus by this operation the opening between the shutter members carried by the shutter shafts 12 and 6| may be varied between zero and 170, andthls control may obviously be effected when the camera is in full operation. The scale I24 which indicates the degrees of shutter opening is visible from outside the camera through an arcuate glass window I45 in wall I3, with which the scale comes into register when the camera box is in the position of Fig. 12. Preferably, the rear end of inner shutter shaft BI and the rear end'of gear sleeve 90 on hollow shutter shaft 12 are provided with shutter signaldevices I41 and I48, respectively, (Figs. 4 and '1). Member I41 is a circular disc, one half of which is painted black to correspond with the shutter opening of the shutter described, and indicate ata glance the positions on the forward end of shaft 12, while member I48, which may be painted black all over, is of the same shape as the shutter leaf on the forward end of shutter shaft 9|. These shutter signal members register with a double glass walled win-' dow I49 in rear camera; wall I3 (Fig. 2) when the camera mechanism is in the take" position of the two shuttermembers.

Thus when camera box 32 has been moved by operation of handle 60 to take position, the dissolve mechanism carried by said box comes into operative relation with a manual crank which is-mounted in the, rear. exterior housing wall, and which may at that timebe operatively engaged with the dissolve mechanism.

The dissolve mechanism also involves automatic devices for accomplishing the dissolve, which have engaging faces presented toward and registering with control or actuating devices mounted in the rear camera case wall I 3 when the camera box has been moved to the ftake" cate through a bore I6I in casting 93 (Figs. 12

and 13). Movement of shaft I60 inwardly from the position shown in Figs. 12 and 13 engages gear 156 with gear teeth I62 on the edge of vertically movable rack Il0 which is opposite to the previously mentioned rack teeth I20. Gears I55, I56 and I51 are of sufficient length relative to each other that gear I56 remains in mesh with the other two gears during such movement into mesh with the rack. It will be evident that when gear I56 is thus in mesh with rack gear teeth I62, the rack will be moved in a vertical direction, and will actuate the shutter dissolve mechanism in a manner similar to that effected when hand crank I40 is operated, as previously described. The rack is then being moved by power applied through the gear train from the rotating shutter shaft 12. The upper gear I51 is mounted on a shaft I10 (Fig. 7) which is longitudinally movable in a bore in casting 93, gear I51 having a peripheral groove I12 engaged by a fork I13 mounted on the inner end of control shaft I 15 which is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation through a bore I16 in casting 93. Inward movement of shaft'I15 from the position shown in Fig. 7 causes gear I51 to move inwardly into engagement with the rack teeth I62 of rack IIO, while remaining in mesh with its driving gear I56, and since gears I56 and I51 rotate in opposite directions, the rack is then moved in a direction opposite to that effected during the engagement of gear I56 with the rack, thus causing automatic operation of the dissolve mechanism in a sense opposite to that effected by engagement of gear I56 with the rack.

To prevent the gears I56 and I51 from being engaged simultaneously with the rack, there is provided a safety guard in the form of a pivoted v yoke I (Figs. 9 and 13), the two arms of which have beveled ends I8I which engage conical surfaces I82 on shafts I60 and I15. The relative arrangement of the parts' is such that in order for either of the two shafts to move inwardly to engage its gear with the rack, its conical surface I82 in engagement with the beveled end of the corresponding yoke arm must cause theyoke to swing to a position with the beveled end of its other arm moved into locking engagement with the inwardly inclined conical surface I82 of the other shaft. Thus but one of the two shafts can be moved inwardly at a time inward movement of either one of the shafts positively locking the other against similar movement.

' I89 and I90 which work within said counterbores.

The oute ends of shafts I60 and I15 are adapted to be actuated by actuating plungers I92 and I93, respectively, (Figs. 13 and 14) which are mounted to reciprocate through bores I94 and are normally yieldingly held in a position with heads I96 and I91 in such engagement with wall I3 (clearing the outer ends of shafts I60 and I15) by means of coil springs 200 and MI respectively, placed around said plungers in counter- I bores 202 and 203, and acting outwardly against shaft collars 204 and 205 which work within said' counterbores.

On the outwardly projecting ends of plungers I92 and I93 are push buttons 206 and 201, respectively. It will be evident that normally there is no interference between shafts I60 and I15, and their actuating plungers I 92 and I93, so that the camera box 32 is free of interference in its transverse shift; but that, when camera box 32 is in photographing position (Fig. 12), either of the plungers, say I92, may be moved inwardly by pressure of the finger on push button 206, until the inner end of said plunger engages the outer end of its corresponding shaft I60 and moves the latter inwardly to engage gear I55 with rack I I0, with the previously describedresulting operation of the dissolve mechanism. Upon release of push button 206, both members I60 and I'92 re being fastened to camera wall 32a in such disposition that'the end of plunger 220 is immediately opposite the rear side of rack member 0. The

forward end of plunger220 is provided with horizontally cut teeth 222 (Fig. 10), which are adapted to engage similar horizontal teeth 223 (see also Fig. 8) cut in a vertical row on the adja-' 5 cent side of said rack. A coil spring 225 placed around plunger 220 and engaging a plunger shoulder 226 urges said plunger to move in a direction to engage its teeth 222 with rack teeth 223. It will be evident that this engagemnt, which 00 may be made at any position of rack I0, positively locks the rack against vertical movement, andhence locks the entire dissolve mechanism adjustment means 'against operation. It will be evident, however. that this locking means does not 65 lock the shutter mechanism against operation,

since the shutter shafts are left free to rotate,

and sleeve I00 is freeto rotate with said shaft; the mechanism is locked, however, against longitudinal movement of sleeve III on gear sleeve 90, 70 which is the action that causes relative rotation of inner shutter shaft II with reference to hollow shutter shaft .12.

When the dissolve mechanism is to be operated for the purpose of changing the shutter opening 75 plunger 220 is withdrawn against spring 225 to turn to their normal extended inoperative posi-- disengage the rack for vertical movement. Plunger 220 carries for this purpose a plate 230,

into one end of which is screwthreaded a push rod 23I which is reciprocable through the aforementioned hollow shaft I22 and projects normally a short distance beyond the shaft head I23 (Fig. 12). When crank I40 is moved inwardly to engage crank pin I33 with aperture I24 for the purpose of accomplishing a manual dissolve,

crank disk I32 engages the projecting end of push rod 23I and forces it inwardly, thereby moving plate 230 and locking plunger 220 to disengage said plunger with rack |90. This disengaged position is shown in Fig. 13. The rack is thus freed for vertical movement, and manual crank I40 may be turned to accomplish the dissolve mechanism desired. When crank I40 is released, it moves outwardly under the influence of its spring I36, and so releases push rod 23I and plate 230 to move outwardly under the influence of locking plunger spring 225, which thereupon acts to move the locking plunger into engagement with the rack teeth to lock the dissolve mechanism against further shutter adjustment movement.

Locking plunger 230 is also moved inwardly to 0 release the rack with inward movement of either shaft I or shaft I15 in meshing gears I56 or I51, respectively, with the rack. For this pur pose shaft I60 has on its extreme inner end an extension 235 (Fig. 13) adapted to engage plate :1.

230 during its inward movement to move said plate and locking plunger 220 inwardly to disengage the rack for vertical movement. For the same purpose, gear I51 which is moved inwardly into mesh. with the rack through inward movement of shaft I16 is provided with a projection 236 (Fig. 7) adapted to engage and move plate 230 during such inward movement, and so cause disengagement, of the locking plunger with the rack, thereby freeing the latter for vertical movement.

Reference is here madeto my copending appli cation entitled Shutter dissolve mechanism, Ser. No. 724,193, filed May 5, 1934, in which the automatic locking means for the shutter dissolve mechanism is'claimed.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shifting camera mechanism, an actuating member for said dissolve mechanism having a portion presented rearwardly from the laterally shifting camera mechanism, and manual means for en- -gaging and moving said actuating member embodying a member reciprocable in the rear wall of the exterior case and adapted to be moved to effect engagement with and movement of said rearwardly presented actuating member when the shiftable camera mechanism is in one of its said positions, said manual means being movable to a position in which the camera mechanism is cleared for itslateral shifting movement.

2. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shifting camera mechanism, a rotatable operating shaft for said dissolve mechanism extending rearwardly from the-rear end of the camera mechanism on a line at right angles to the direction 01' lateral shift of said camera mechanism, a rotatable drive shaft longitudinally movable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and register with'said rearwardly extending operating shaft in one position of the shiftable camera mechanism, the adjacent ends of said registerable shafts being adapted for rotatable driving engagement with one another, and manual means for moving the rotatable drive shaft inwardlythrou'gh the wall of the exterior" case to drivingly engage and rotate the dissolve mechanism operating shaft.

3. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a-camera mechanismmounted within the case and laterally, shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shifting camera mechanism, an axially reciprocable actuating. shaft for said dissolve'mechanism extending rearwardly from the rear end of the camera mechanism on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said camera mechanism, and an operating device on the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as toregister with said rearwardly extending actuating shaft in one position of the camera mechanism, said operating device adapted tobe manuallyoperated to engage and operate said recipnocable actuating shaft when the camera mechanism is insaid one position.

4. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shifting camera mechanism, an axially reciprocable actuating shaft for said dissolve mechanism extending rearwardly from the rear end of the camera -mechanism on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said camera mechanism, and an operating plunger reciprocable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and register with said rearwardly extending actuating shaft in one position of the camera mechanism, said plunger adapted to be manually moved inwardly to engage and operate ber, and manual shaft operating means mounted for reciprocation in the rear wall of the exterior 'case and movable on a line coincident with said operating shaft'when the transversely shiftable carrier is in a given position with reference to the camera frame to drivingly engage and operate said shaft.

6. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, an interior camera structure positioned within said case embodying a stationary frame and a mechanism carrier member transversely shiftable on said frame, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said transversely shaft for said mechanism extending rearwardly from, the rear end of the carrier member on a line at right angles to the direction of transverse shift of said member, a rotatable drive shaft longitudinally movable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and shiftable carrier member,'a rotatable operating register with said-rearwardly extending operating shaft in one position ofv the carrier member, the adjacent endsof said registerable shafts being adapted for rotatable driving engagement with one another, and manual means for'moving the rotatable drive 'shaft inwardly through the wall of the exterior case to drivingly engage and rotate the dissolve mechanism operating shaft.

7. .In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, an interior camera structure positioned within said case embodying a stationary frame and a mechanism carrier member transversely shiftable on said frame, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said transversely shiftable carrier member, a rotatable operating shaft for saidmechanism' extending rearwardly from the rear end of the carrier member on a line at right anglesv to the direction of transverse shift of said member, a. rotatable drive shaft longitudinally movable through the rear wall. of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and register with said rearwardly extending operating shaft in one position of the carrier member with reference to the frame, the adjacent ends of said registerable shafts being adapted for rotatable driving engagement with one another, manual means for moving the rotatable drive shaft inwardly through the wall of the exterior case to drivingly engage and rotate the dissolve mec'ha nism operating shaft, and spring means yieldingly urging saiddrive shaftto a position out of engagement with said dissolve mechanism operatingshaft to clear said; carrier member for its transverse shifting movement.

8. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, an interior camera structure positioned within said case embodying a stationary frame and amechanism carrier memher transversely shiftable on said frame, shutter members and a controllable. 'shutterdissolve mechanism on said'transversely shiftable carrier member, an axially reciprocable actuating shaft for said mechanism extending rearwardly from the rear end of the carrier member on a line at right angles. to the direction of transverse shift of said member, and an operating device-on the rear wall' of the exterior case and so located as to register with said rearwardly extending actuating shaft in one position of the carrier member with reference to the frame, said operating device adapted to be manually operated to engage and, operate said reciprocating control shaft when the carrier member is in said one position.

9. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, an interior camera structure positioned within said case embodying a stationary frame and a mechanism carrier solve mechanism on said transversely shiftable carrier member, an axially reciprocable control.

shaft for saidmechanism extending rearwardly from the rear. end of the carrier member on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said member, and an operating plunger reciprocable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and register member'transversely shiftable on said frame, a shutter members and a'controllable ,shutter dis with said rearwardly extending actuating shaft in one position of the carrier member with reference to said frame, said plunger adapted to be manually moved inwardly 'to engage and operatesaid reciprocable control shaft when the carrier member is in said one position, and thereafter to'retract to clear said member for its transverse shifting movement. 10. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shiftable 5 camera mechanism, an operating shaft for said dissolve mechanism extending rearwardly from the rear end of the camera mechanism on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said member, manual shaft operating means mounted in the rear wall of the exterior case and movable to drivingly engage and operate said shaft when the shiftable camera mechanism is in one of its positions, and a spring normally holding said shaft operating means yieldingly in a disengaged position in which the camera mechanism is cleared for its lateral shifting movement.

11. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closedexterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a manually controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shiftablc camera mechanism, a rotatable operating shaft for said dissolve mechanism extending" rearwardi 1? from the rear end of the camera mechanism on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of'said mechanism, a rotatable drive shaft longitudinally movable through the rear holding said rotatable drive shaft yieldinglyin T 50 an outward retracted position disengaged from said rotatable dissolve mechanism shaft and in which the camera mechanism is cleared for its lateral shifting movement.

12. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a closed exterior case, a camera mechanism mounted within the case and laterally shiftable therein from one position to another, shutter members and a controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said laterally shiftable camera mechanism, a reciprocable actuating member for said dissolve mechanism having an engaging surface facing rearwardly from the rear end of the camera mechanism and movable in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said mechanism, an operating plunger reciprocable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to register with said rearwardly extending actuating member in one position of the camera mechanism, said plunger adapted to be manually moved inwardly to engage and operate said reciprocable actuating member when the camera mechanism is in said one position, and a spring normally holding said plunger in an outward retracted position disengaged from said reciprocable actuating member and in which the camera mechanism is cleared for its lateral shifting movement.

13. In a motion picture camera, the co'mbination of aclosed exterior case, an interior camera structure positioned within said case embodying a stationary frame and a mechanism carrier member transversely shiftable on said frame. shutter members and a controllable shutter dissolve mechanism on said transversely shiftable carrier member, an axially reciprocable actuating shaft for said mechanism extending rearwardly from the rear end of the carrier member on a line at right angles to the direction of lateral shift of said member, an operating plunger reoiprocable through the rear wall of the exterior case and so located as to be alined and register with said rearwardiy extending actuating shaft in one position of the carrier member with reference to said frame, said plunger adapted to be manually moved inwardly to engage and operate said reciprocable actuating shaft when the carrier member is in said one position, and a spring normally holding said plunger in an outward retracted position disengaged from said reciprocable actuating shaft and in which the mechanism carrier member is cleared for its lateral shifting movement GEORGE A. m'rcrmm. 

